


Please Take a Break

by NotRedGlasses



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M, Mutual Pining, Post Season 7, lying
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-25 00:04:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17110655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotRedGlasses/pseuds/NotRedGlasses
Summary: Keith and Shiro need a break but they're too stubborn to take one so everyone else kicks them off the planet.





	Please Take a Break

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is the equivalent of  
> Shiro: I want to be alone right now  
> Shiro: Thanks for being alone with me, Keith

“I vote for Keith and Shiro to go.” Pidge raises her hand. The other officers raise their hands as well, muttering ayes in agreement. Even James, a stickler for rules if Shiro’s ever seen one, is nodding sagely.

“This agent may have a lead on Haggar’s plans! We have to go, Shiro,” Keith asserts, pressing his clenched fists against the table. Shiro gives Keith an agonized look. This is just a ploy for them to relax. Keith had finally gotten out of the hospital to jump right into retraining his lost muscle mass and collecting every lead they had on the robeast with the Altean in it. Getting Keith to take a break was like pulling teeth. Shiro would be a hypocrite if he didn’t say the same for himself, but there was just so much to do on the Atlas, and his recent promotion did him no favors.

“I doubt that this guy will have anything new when the Voltron coalition and Blade of Marmora have been working nonstop to collect any information available on the Galra’s next move,” Shiro decides to play along, since this may be the best way for Keith to catch a break, however unknowingly. The plan was to send him out on a space cruiser to a neutral planet and have him wait for a supposed agent for a week. Keith will return likely angry for the wasted time, but at least he would have stopped badgering everyone for new leads. Shiro found him sympathetic, after all Keith was out of commission for longer than the other paladins, but the overall atmosphere of the team was becoming heavy with stress and helplessness. Shiro had tried speaking to Keith once about letting up, for the sake of the others, but Keith’s heavy look of guilt and determination eventually had Shiro backstepping. He was just as anxious as Keith to figure out Haggar’s next step, and couldn’t be the one to argue against Keith. They were both leaders now, and Shiro couldn’t help but be overwhelmingly proud at Keith’s resilience and work ethic. However that didn’t mean that Shiro also had a week to spare to do nothing.

“Well, someone has to go. And someone else should go for backup in case of a surprise attack,” Lance adds. 

“You think it’ll come to that?” Keith’s eyes widen, while Shiro’s narrows as he glares at Lance. This is meant to be a break for Keith, but these interjections will only pile unnecessary stress during his wait for a nonexistent agent. 

“We don’t even know if this guy will show or not. And he wouldn’t dare to attack on neutral ground with the Voltron coalition in such close warping proximity,” Shiro argues. This is a meeting on a peaceful planet, with luxuries for restful sleep and lavish food, perfect for supposed negotiations. Throwing this out of proportion will only work against the plan they were working Keith towards, which is to relax.

“Shiro, why are you so against meeting this guy?” Keith turns to Shiro, who starts to sweat. He absolutely hated lying to Keith. They trusted each other to the extent that they wouldn’t blink an eye to give their lives for one another, yet this one over proportionate lie to get Keith to stop and breathe could be Shiro’s breaking point.

“Yeah, it’s not like it would be a waste of time or anything. Any lead is a good lead at this point, and who better to trust with something like this than the leader of Voltron and captain of Atlas?” Pidge asserts. Shiro is catching onto their game and he doesn’t like it one bit.

“You wouldn’t send Keith out there alone, would you Shiro? There isn’t anyone that can back each other up better than you two do,” Hunk slaps on to Pidge’s statement. If Shiro argues any more, Keith will become even more suspicious than he already is and will likely renew his efforts with more vigor and added indignation. Shiro massages his temple with his human hand and sighs. 

“So you’re suggesting we go meet this guy together. What are we taking and how long are we waiting for him?”

“We’ll spare a week for him. You guys should take the black lion. It’s safest since Keith can call it from anywhere and warp back here if anything comes up. Coran will take charge of the Atlas while you’re gone.” Allura smiles assuringly. How are all of them able to lie about this plan so easily? How long have they been planning this? Was Shiro the last to know? Or at least second-to-last; there will be hell to pay if Shiro can’t keep up the lie. Oh god, Shiro will have to lie for a whole week to Keith if he goes with him. How has no one accounted for this? Shiro stares down anyone who meets his eyes, hoping they can read the dilemma in his mind. No one cares. They all smile amicably like they’re on the verge of spring break. Shiro could not feel more betrayed by his team than at that very moment. What a trap, them knowing that they wouldn’t be able to keep this a secret from Shiro, and using Keith’s health as a bargaining chip to keep Shiro from collapsing the plan in on itself.

“Fine, we’re setting off tomorrow morning. Can I be dismissed?” Shiro grits his teeth as he pushes out his chair to stand. Keith is frowning at Shiro’s obvious irritation as Admiral Holt nods solemnly, likely knowing that he won’t be escaping Shiro’s shit list either when he and Keith return. No one will be safe from Keith when Shiro undoubtedly fucks the plan up, and doubly so from Shiro. He will undeniably be seen as compliant to the plan to Keith, and Shiro despises whenever Keith is upset at him, no matter how rarely it occurs. Shiro stomps out of the conference room, only to be held in place by Keith calling to him.

“Shiro, I know you don’t want to spend a week away from here, but this might be important,” Keith reasons. Oh Keith, if only you knew. Shiro can’t take being comforted for his own lie by the victim of it. “And I think it’ll be good for you to catch a break. This planet is known to be good for vacationing and you’ve been working non-stop.”

Shiro can’t believe the irony in being told to rest by the guy who needs the universe’s defenders to band together and plan out a week of rest for himself. _Speak for yourself, Keith. When was the last time you caught a break after getting out of the hospital ward?_

“I-I know, Keith. There’s just so much left to do on the Atlas and with the coalition. It just doesn’t seem right to just leave.”

“Well, like Pidge said, any lead is a good lead. The faster we find Haggar, the faster this war will be over. And when it comes to rebuilding, I’ll be there to support you every step of the way. And the team. Of course,” Keith tags on and Shiro can’t help but smile softly at him. 

“I know you will, Keith. I wouldn’t trust anyone else to have my back as much as you do.” Shiro places his left hand on Keith’s shoulder with practiced ease. Keith smiles reassuringly in return, one of many Shiro’s favorite expressions on his face. Shiro can’t help being fond of how expressive Keith gets with him, whether it be from irritation or excitement. 

\--

Shiro can see the paladins mentally high-fiving each other as he and Keith reach the black lion’s mouth. Shiro felt like he could stab each of them and feel nothing.

“Don’t come back for a week now, y’hear?” Lance snickers out of range of Keith’s hearing. Shiro felt like they had him by the balls. He couldn’t reply like he wanted to, otherwise Keith would catch on. Thus he had to act like he didn’t want to head back to his office and ignore everyone for the rest of the day. Soon it would just be him and Keith, so at least he would be getting half of what he wants. 

“I’ll radio in the moment we make contact. He’s neutral yet we don’t know what he wants?” Keith asks. 

“A lot of things are up in the air right now. We’ll see what he wants if we make contact.” Shiro sighs as he finishes boarding emergency provisions in the cockpit. 

“...When we make contact, Shiro. Why are you so adamant about him not showing?” Keith interjects, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. 

“Just don’t get your hopes up too much, is what I mean. Let’s go, Keith.” Shiro grunts and gestures for Keith to follow.

**Author's Note:**

> [twitter](https://twitter.com/NerdyRedGlasses)


End file.
